Patents by Inventor Atsushi Ookouchi
Atsushi Ookouchi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11774854Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: performing a first developing process of moving a nozzle having one end surface and a discharge port opened at the end surface while making the end surface come into contact with a developer on a front surface of a substrate in a state in which the nozzle is disposed so that the end surface faces the front surface and the developer is discharged from the discharge port at a first flow rate while rotating the substrate; and after the first developing process, performing a second developing process of discharging the developer from the discharge port at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate in a state in which the end surface is in contact with the developer on the front surface at a position facing a center of the front surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yusaku Hashimoto, Kouichirou Tanaka, Masahiro Fukuda, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Publication number: 20230026275Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: performing a first developing process of moving a nozzle having one end surface and a discharge port opened at the end surface while making the end surface come into contact with a developer on a front surface of a substrate in a state in which the nozzle is disposed so that the end surface faces the front surface and the developer is discharged from the discharge port at a first flow rate while rotating the substrate; and after the first developing process, performing a second developing process of discharging the developer from the discharge port at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate in a state in which the end surface is in contact with the developer on the front surface at a position facing a center of the front surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Yusaku HASHIMOTO, Kouichirou TANAKA, Masahiro FUKUDA, Atsushi OOKOUCHI
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Patent number: 11480881Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: performing a first developing process of moving a nozzle having one end surface and a discharge port opened at the end surface while making the end surface come into contact with a developer on a front surface of a substrate in a state in which the nozzle is disposed so that the end surface faces the front surface and the developer is discharged from the discharge port at a first flow rate while rotating the substrate; and after the first developing process, performing a second developing process of discharging the developer from the discharge port at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate in a state in which the end surface is in contact with the developer on the front surface at a position facing a center of the front surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yusaku Hashimoto, Kouichirou Tanaka, Masahiro Fukuda, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Publication number: 20220035248Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: performing a first developing process of moving a nozzle having one end surface and a discharge port opened at the end surface while making the end surface come into contact with a developer on a front surface of a substrate in a state in which the nozzle is disposed so that the end surface faces the front surface and the developer is discharged from the discharge port at a first flow rate while rotating the substrate; and after the first developing process, performing a second developing process of discharging the developer from the discharge port at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate in a state in which the end surface is in contact with the developer on the front surface at a position facing a center of the front surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Yusaku HASHIMOTO, Kouichirou TANAKA, Masahiro FUKUDA, Atsushi OOKOUCHI
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Patent number: 9805958Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2017Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hiroshi Ichinomiya, Hirosi Nisihata, Ryouichirou Naitou
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Publication number: 20170256427Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Atsushi OOKOUCHI, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Hiroshi ICHINOMIYA, Hirosi NISIHATA, Ryouichirou NAITOU
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Patent number: 9704730Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hiroshi Ichinomiya, Hirosi Nisihata
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Patent number: 9570327Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus comprises a chuck (13) that holds and rotates a wafer, a back surface purging nozzle (15) that discharges a purge gas toward the back surface of the wafer, and a periphery purging nozzle 16 that discharges the purge gas onto the back surface of the wafer. The back surface purging nozzle has a slit-like opening part extending from a central side to a peripheral side of the substrate in a plan view. Vertical distance between the slit-like opening part and the substrate held by the substrate holding unit increases as approaching an end of the opening part on the central side of the substrate. The periphery purging nozzle discharges the purge gas, toward a central part of the substrate, toward a region on the back surface of the substrate, which region is located radially outside an end of the slit-like opening part of the back surface purging nozzle and radially inside an peripheral edge of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masahiro Fukuda, Akihiro Kubo, Taro Yamamoto, Kenzi Yada, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Publication number: 20150318193Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus comprises a chuck (13) that holds and rotates a wafer, a back surface purging nozzle (15) that discharges a purge gas toward the back surface of the wafer, and a periphery purging nozzle 16 that discharges the purge gas onto the back surface of the wafer. The back surface purging nozzle has a slit-like opening part extending from a central side to a peripheral side of the substrate in a plan view. Vertical distance between the slit-like opening part and the substrate held by the substrate holding unit increases as approaching an end of the opening part on the central side of the substrate. The periphery purging nozzle discharges the purge gas, toward a central part of the substrate, toward a region on the back surface of the substrate, which region is located radially outside an end of the slit-like opening part of the back surface purging nozzle and radially inside an peripheral edge of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2013Publication date: November 5, 2015Inventors: Masahiro FUKUDA, Akihiro KUBO, Taro YAMAMOTO, Kenzi YADA, Atsushi OOKOUCHI
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Publication number: 20140352737Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi OOKOUCHI, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Hiroshi ICHINOMIYA, Hirosi NISIHATA, Ryouichirou NAITOU
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Patent number: 8545119Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holding and rotating unit for holding a center of a rear surface of a substrate and rotating the substrate; a cleaning unit including a first cleaning member, a second cleaning member provided around the first cleaning member and a base to which the first and second cleaning members are secured; an elevating unit for moving the substrate holding and rotating unit and the cleaning unit relative to each other so as to allow the first and second cleaning members to come into contact with the rear surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding and rotating unit; and a driving unit for driving the substrate and the cleaning unit relative to each other in a direction along the rear surface of the substrate so as to allow part of the second cleaning member to be exposed to the outside of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Junji Kume
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Patent number: 8474396Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus configured to slim the resist pattern while reducing the number of developing modules. A room temperature developing liquid and a high temperature developing liquid to modify the surface layer of a resist pattern can be supplied from a common nozzle to a substrate disposed on a mount table. Although both developing liquids may be sequentially discharged by switching between the supply line for the room temperature developing liquid and the supply line for the high temperature developing liquid, it is also possible to join these supply lines for supplying the room temperature developing liquid from the former supply line, and then adjust the ratio of the flow rates between both supply lines, and then supply the mixed liquid of the developing liquids as a high temperature developing liquid.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masahiro Fukuda, Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8455183Abstract: A resist pattern slimming treatment method includes: a slimming treatment step of performing a slimming treatment on a resist pattern by applying a solution containing an acid onto a substrate having the resist pattern formed thereon, then performing a heat treatment, and then performing a developing treatment. A database storing kinds of resist material for the resist pattern, concentrations of acid contained in a solution to be applied onto the substrate having the resist pattern formed thereon, and line widths of the resist pattern corresponding to the kinds of resist material and the concentrations of acid is prepared in advance. The concentration of the acid contained in the solution used in the slimming treatment step is based on a concentration of the acid obtained from the database, using, as search keys, the kind of resist material and a target value of the line width of the resist pattern.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Toyohisa Tsuruda, Yoshihiro Kondo, Atsushi Ookouchi, Masahiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8445189Abstract: The temperature of a developing solution is varied depending on the type of resist or the resist pattern. The developing solution is applied while scanning a developer nozzle having a slit-shaped ejection port that has a length matching the width of the effective area of the substrate. After leaving the substrate with the developing solution being coated thereon for a predetermined period of time, a diluent is supplied while scanning a diluent nozzle, thereby substantially stopping the development reaction and causing the dissolved resist components to diffuse. A desired amount of resist can be quickly dissolved through the control of the developing solution temperature, while the development can be stopped before the dissolved resist components exhibit adverse effect through the supply of the diluent a predetermined timing, whereby achieving a pattern having a uniform line width and improved throughput.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Taro Yamamoto, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hideharu Kyouda, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Publication number: 20120014689Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holding and rotating unit for holding a center of a rear surface of a substrate and rotating the substrate; a cleaning unit including a first cleaning member, a second cleaning member provided around the first cleaning member and a base to which the first and second cleaning members are secured; an elevating unit for moving the substrate holding and rotating unit and the cleaning unit relative to each other so as to allow the first and second cleaning members to come into contact with the rear surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding and rotating unit; and a driving unit for driving the substrate and the cleaning unit relative to each other in a direction along the rear surface of the substrate so as to allow part of the second cleaning member to be exposed to the outside of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Junji Kume
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Patent number: 8026048Abstract: A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Hideharu Kyouda, Kousuke Yoshihara
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Publication number: 20110127236Abstract: The temperature of a developing solution is varied depending on the type of resist or the resist pattern. The developing solution is applied while scanning a developer nozzle having a slit-shaped ejection port that has a length matching the width of the effective area of the substrate. After leaving the substrate with the developing solution being coated thereon for a predetermined period of time, a diluent is supplied while scanning a diluent nozzle, thereby substantially stopping the development reaction and causing the dissolved resist components to diffuse. A desired amount of resist can be quickly dissolved through the control of the developing solution temperature, while the development can be stopped before the dissolved resist components exhibit adverse effect through the supply of the diluent a predetermined timing, whereby achieving a pattern having a uniform line width and improved throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2011Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Taro YAMAMOTO, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hideharu Kyouda, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Patent number: 7918182Abstract: The temperature of a developing solution is varied depending on the type of resist or the resist pattern. The developing solution is applied while scanning a developer nozzle having a slit-shaped ejection port that has a length matching the width of the effective area of the substrate. After leaving the substrate with the developing solution being coated thereon for a predetermined period of time, a diluent is supplied while scanning a diluent nozzle, thereby substantially stopping the development reaction and causing the dissolved resist components to diffuse. A desired amount of resist can be quickly dissolved through the control of the developing solution temperature, while the development can be stopped before the dissolved resist components exhibit adverse effect through the supply of the diluent a predetermined timing, whereby achieving a pattern having a uniform line width and improved throughput.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2004Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electronic LimitedInventors: Taro Yamamoto, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hideharu Kyouda, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Atsushi Ookouchi
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Patent number: 7896562Abstract: A method of supplying a developing solution is provided. The method includes supplying a developing solution onto a substrate from a first developing solution nozzle, so as to form a ribbon-like region on the surface of the substrate, while rotating the substrate about a vertical axis via a substrate holding part. The method further includes shifting a position of the ribbon-like region in which the developing solution is supplied. Developing solution is supplied from a second developing solution nozzle, so as to form a circular region on the central portion of the substrate or form a ribbon-like region shorter in length than the ribbon-like region of the developing solution supplied from the first developing nozzle. Simultaneously, the substrate is rotated about the vertical axis via the substrate holding part, thereby spreading the developing solution toward a peripheral portion of the substrate by centrifugal force.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2008Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Atsushi Ookouchi, Kousuke Yoshihara
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Publication number: 20110014379Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus configured to slim the resist pattern while reducing the number of developing modules. A room temperature developing liquid and a high temperature developing liquid to modify the surface layer of a resist pattern can be supplied from a common nozzle to a substrate disposed on a mount table. Although both developing liquids may be sequentially discharged by switching between the supply line for the room temperature developing liquid and the supply line for the high temperature developing liquid, it is also possible to join these supply lines for supplying the room temperature developing liquid from the former supply line, and then adjust the ratio of the flow rates between both supply lines, and then supply the mixed liquid of the developing liquids as a high temperature developing liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masahiro FUKUDA, Atsushi OOKOUCHI, Taro YAMAMOTO